Folding life-raft.



No. 684,378. Patented Oct. 22, 190:. E. A. SPERBER.

FOLDING LIFE RA'FT.

(Application filed. Mar. 5, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Fig. 7

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDUARD ALFRED SPEFBER, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY.

FOLDING LIFE-RAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 684,878, dated October Llpplication filed March 5, 1901. Serial No. 49,870. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDUARD ALFRED SPER- BER, a citizen of the Kingdom of Saxony, residing in Dresden, Germany, have invented an Improvement Applicable to Folding Life- Rafts, of which the following is a specification.

The invention herein referred to concerns a life-raft that can be folded up and which consists of several (as a rule two) floating bodies, a connecting contrivance, anda cover. The action of the connecting contrivance is such that the raft can be folded up or opened out for use.

The life-raft is folded together by means of a winding mechanism. It unfolds automatically.

The accompanying drawings show a life- I raft, as follows:

Figure 1 is the ground plan of the life-raft unfolded; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on the line A B of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a front view; Fig. 4., the winding mechanism, and Fig. 5 the ground plan of the life-raft when folded together.

The floating bodies are plain hollow ones, shaped as represented on the drawings or of a similar form. The interior of these bodies may be formed into several compartments or left undivided. In the former case hatches which can be closed from the top would afford access. On the inside of the floating bodies are hinged three rigid braces c and c and four folding braces b and 5 The latter are braced by the members 19 have hinges in the middle, so that they can be folded, and springs 6 by which they are automaticnlly stretched. The braces b are connected by the bar cl.

A winding mechanism provides for the folding together of the life-raft, which acts at bar (:2 and which consists of rack-bar e, the toothwheel f, the crank g, and the ratchet-Wheel h, with pawl or ratchet, besides cord *6, which keeps the raft together. So soon as the cord is removed the raft opens automatically and is kept open by the cog-wheel 7i and the springs 12 In order to cover up the space between the floating bodies, a wood cover, consisting of planks it, has been devised, which is connected with bar 01 and rests on same and the floating bodies a. The bars Z serve the purpose of fixing up the rail.

I claim In a folding life-raft, floating bodies a, rigid braces c c pivotally attached to the inner sides of said bodies, folding braces bb l1aving spring-actuated hinges intermediate their ends adapted to straighten said braces and also having diagonal bracing members b said folding braces also pivotally attached to the inner sides of the floating bodies, and a cord 11 adapted to hold the raft in a folded position and by releasing which the springhinges will cause the raft to be automatically opened for working, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDUARD ALFRED sPERBER.

Witnesses:

KARL VON WAGNER, HERNANDO DE Some. 

